Typing Characters from Foreign Languages on the Computer
Last updated 7/12/2004

IBM Compatible Computers: 

Please have a look at all four of these methods to see which one suits you best!

Method 1 comes from the old, DOS-based character maps, so these keystroke combinations should work in most DOS or Windows-based text applications. If you're using Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000, and usually in Windows XP, most e-mail programs, text editors, and browsers, not to mention today's more sophisticated word-processing programs, support them. However, I understand that they do NOT work in Microsoft Works, and I do run into a machine now and then that won't reproduce them in any application.  They also don’t work on most notebook computers, because they don't use a standard keyboard. For another solution in Windows XP, see below.

To produce these characters in a given application, just hold down the "Alt" key, then on the number pad on the right-hand side of the keyboard, type the # , then release the "Alt" key.  If it doesn't work, try turning on the "Num Lock" key.  Eventually memorize these numbers, and you won't need to consult a list any more.  By the way, this works on ANY regular 101-key keyboard regardless of language, as long as it has the separate number pad.
á - 160  é - 130 í - 161 ñ - 164 ó - 162 ú - 163 ü - 129 ¿ - 168 ¡    - 173
â - 131
à - 133
ä - 132
À - 0192		 Ç - 128
ç - 135		 é - 130
ê - 136
è - 138
ë - 137
É - 144
Ê - 0202		 î - 140
ï - 139		 ô - 147
ö - 148
œ - 0156
Œ - 0140		 û - 150
ù - 151		 « - 174
» - 175
 ì - 141 ò - 149 ° - 248 § - 21  £ - 156
                        
Method 2: I use Word `97 at home and at work, but the older versions of Word work this way, and Word 2000* does too.  Once your document is up, go to the "Insert" drop-down menu.  Choose "Symbol," and click once.  That should bring up the "Symbols" tab with a grid of symbols to choose from. In the "Font" window, click the arrow and look for the one that says "(normal text)" and select it.  It's usually at the very top. This should bring up the grid you need; all the characters with accents are there.

Now you can do one of two things.  Either highlight the symbol you want, click the "Insert" button and be done with it, or select it and click the "Shortcut Key" button to see what the keyboard strokes are to produce the characters.  For example, the character "á" is produced by doing a <Ctrl> + ' and then hitting the regular "a."  As with the keyboard maps, once you memorize these key strokes, you're set to just type them from the keyboard without going to the "insert" menu at all.

* In Word 2000, however, you have a much more efficient and powerful tool. If you want to write a whole document in French, for example, do the following as soon as you open a new document: Go to the "Tools" menu, choose "Language," then "Set Language."  In the "Mark selected text as:" window, scroll down and choose "French (France)." Word will then spell check the document with a French proofing tool.  If you want to just check the spelling of a French word or phrase embedded in a document written in English, just select the text you want to check in French, and perform the above steps.  Spanish and Italian work the same way, as do other languages, but I'm not sure just how many are built into Word 2000.  You can buy add-ons for Word '95 and '97 that will do this - they're called "Proofing Tools."

In WordPerfect (at least in the version 9 that I use), click the "Insert" drop-down menu, choose "Symbols," and there's a "Set" box in the upper left corner. Click on it and change the setting to "Multinational," and all the accents will be there to choose from. You can use the spell-check option here as well as long as you install the dictionaries from your installation CD first.

Method 3: In Windows XP, and for that matter, any windows-based system, you can map your keyboard to emulate a real French or French-Canadian keyboard. To do this in Windows XP, go to "Start," then "Control Panel," and choose the rubric "Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options." Click to "Add Language," select "French (France)" as an additional input language, and then, if you want, select it as the default. I think you can toggle back and forth too. Click here to see what you'll be working with - you'll probably need to print yourself a copy for reference.

In Windows 2000, go to "Start," "Control Panel," and open up the "Keyboard" properties. Choose the "Input Locales" tab and add "French (France)" as an option. As with XP, you can set it as the default if you wish, or toggle back and forth. Click here to see what you'll be working with - you'll probably need to print yourself a copy for reference. I'm not sure about how to do it in Windows 98 and 95, but it's got to be similar.

Method 4 (for French & Spanish): If you don't like messing with mapping, symbol insertions, OR different keyboard options, there is a specialized macro available for Word. It is very easy - I have it installed on my computer and, after many years of using these other methods, I am learning to use this one. It is great! Be aware, however, that it may interfere with other macros you may have installed in your Word program.

Anyway, go to the following URL, download the .ZIP file, and set it up according to the instructions: http://www.brawleywebdesign.com/ComputerRoomPages/IVCaccents.shtml.
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For my tutorial on how to improve your skills in this area, click here.

For help on accents for the MacIntosh, click here.
 
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